Death by chocolate

This is one of my all time favorite cakes. I guess the name says it all : 

Death by chocolate. 

It is the most decadent, rich, dense, moist and chocolaty cakes I ever had.

 

Death by chocolate


Ingredients:


8 oz (225 g) dark semisweet good quality chocolate (40-50% cocoa)  
2/3 cup (140 g) butter
1 cup (210 g) sugar
4 eggs
4 heaped tablespoons cake flour
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract. I use this in everything. I am not sure what I love more, chocolate or vanilla. I think I am a vanilla girl though :)
4 tablespoons sour cream


Frosting:
2/3 cup heavy cream or whipping cream
9 oz (260 g) semisweet good quality chocolate (40-50% cocoa)


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 Celsius )
Line the bottoms of two circular 8 inch spring form cake pans, or one 10 inch pan, with nonstick baking paper.


Break the chocolate in small pieces ( or you can just use chocolate chips instead and so you won't need to brake it ), and melt it with the butter in a sauce pan placed over another pan of boiling water. If you want you may add 3 tablespoons of rum The sauce pan should not be touching the water in the second pan. 
In a bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat the eggs with sugar on medium ( I put it on 4 on my KitchenAid for about 3-4 minutes ), then mix in flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and vanilla extract. Mix just until incorporated on medium speed. Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate and the sour cream. 


Divide the batter equally in the two pans. You can do this accurately by measuring them on a kitchen scale, for even baking and layers.
Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes (if using 1 cake tin 40-50 minutes). Do not open the oven door before 20 minutes pass. Be careful not to over bake the cake, as it will not be as moist. It is fine if it is just a little under baked, rather than over baked.
Let the cake pans cool on a wire rack, loosen edges with a knife, then gently remove from pans and let cool completely. If you have non stick pans use a plastic knife to do this, as a metal one will scratch the pan ruining it. 


If you used just one pan, when completely cooled place the cake in the fridge for an hour or two, or in the freezer if you want to do this faster. This step will make it easier to cut in half horizontally, in order to have two layers. You can do this with a thin, long and sharp bread knife, or use a cake leveler like this one from Wilton, which makes it very easy. This tool is great especially when you want to cut more thin layers of cake.


Prepare the frosting by heating the whipping cream in a sauce pan, put in the chocolate, let it melt for few minutes, then stir well until smooth, and voilà, you have ganache! Ganache is amazing on anything, you can use it in so many ways, from frosting, filling to decorating, for dipping strawberries in, pouring it warm over ice-cream, or just eat it as it is :) . You can whip it as well, in a mixer fitted with the wire whip attachment, and you will get this wonderful fluffy ganache instead of the dense creamy one.  
Let the ganache cool until it thickens a little, 10-15 minutes, not more, as it will set and be hard to spread.


Use one third of the frosting between the two layers, using the rest to frost it. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.


This cake should be served at room temperature, but it is just as good when cold, depends on your personal preference. 


This post is dedicated to my sweet and talented baby sister Ayla, who loves this cake and always asks me to bake it for her. Miss her so much! She is all the way in Milan, Italy, studying to become an amazing fashion designer. Can't wait to go to her first fashion show, and see her label on amazing clothes. 


Thanks for reading, and I hope you will try and like this amazing chocolate cake. Let me know!